Swivel



'April 15, 1941.

A. R MAIER swrvrsr.

Filed F'eb. 27. 1946 2 sheets-sheet 2 Y [7a/enla?? ,4061/57- E. M14/5e,

Patented Apr. 15', i941 SWIVEL August R. Maier, Dallas, Tex., assignor to Oil Well Supply Company, a corporation vof ew Jersey ApplicatieFcbruarytzr, 1940,:seria1 ivm-321,111

` 8 Claims. This invention relates to rotary swivels used in the oil-producing industry, and more particularly to an improvement in the wash pipe packing.

In the oil-producing industry, it is common practice to drill oil wells by means of a rotary bit secured to the lower end of a string ofdrill pipe. The drill pipe is rotated by means of a rotary at the surface and a slush pump is provided which forces mud downwardlyunder relatively high pressure through the revolving drill pipe and bit. A swivel is provided on the sur- 'face through which this' mud ows, one end of the swivel being connected by a wash-pipe and flexible hose connection to the pump, while the other end is connected to the revolving drill pipe. Since the mud carries a substantial quantity of abrasive particles, care must be exercised in designing the swivel so that the packing will have a relatively long life. It is also desirable from the standpoint of operating efiiciency that the parts be so constructed and arranged that they may be quickly t'aken apart and then quickly reassembled when the repair or replacement required is done, in order that the idle unproductive time on the drilling rig is kept at a minimum.

It is an object of this invention to provide a sealing means between the stationary wash-pipe vand the revolving swivel, which has an increased life. Another object is the provision of such a sealing means that minimum time is lost on the rig due to replacement of the packing element. An additional object is to provide sealing means which cooperateswith the wash-pipe in such a manner that a minimum amount of wear takes place, yet an effective sealing contact is maintained.

It is a still furtherobject of this invention to provide a rotary swivel sealing means so arranged that a thin layer of grease is maintained between the contacting stationary and revolving surfaces in order to reduce to a minimum the frictional contact necessary for eiectively sealing against the high pressures exerted 4by the slush pump.'

It is an additional object of this invention to' nected to a cored passage 23 in the rotarybody provide a seal which is automatically operated by pressure obtained from the supply of drilling iiuid passing therethrough.

Heretofore it has been the practiceto provide the swivel with a packing between the vstationary wash-pipe and the revolving body, wherein wear was compensated for by making a longitudinal adjustment of the packing members.

Under the'teachings of the present invention,

a self-sealing ringv is utilized which is so constructed and arranged that"while it cannot be compressed longitudinally it can be expanded transversely by hydraulic pressure.

The invention will be fully apparent from the following detailed disclosure when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view of my novel swivel, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail illustrating the improved self-sealing means constructed and arranged kto be expanded transversely by hydraulic pressure;

l Figure 3 is a plan view oi one of the component parts of the improved sealing means;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line IV-IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a plan view of another component part of the sealing means; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view on line VI-VI o Figure 5.

Referring tothe embodiment of the invention illustrated, the rotary body |0 is mounted on. bearings carried by a housing l2 to which a bail vI3 is attached for suspending the swivel assembly when desired. The upper flange Il of a non-rotary water tube |5 is held between the gooseneck I6 and housing cap l1 as shown. Sealing elements 20` and 2l (best shown in Figures 2 to 6) surround this water tube and are held in nested position by the upper and lower glands I9 and I 8, respectively.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the plurality of sealing elements 2| is provided between the up-V per and lower glands I9 and |8 respectively. In

.this disclosure, five are shown, but two will serve Y the purposejust as well, as each sealing `ring is selfisealing and williw'ear for a long 1time, provided the face thereof .is properly lubricated.Y A

water-repellant grease preferably is forced under i pressure through an external fitting 22 conof the swivel. Each ring member 20 has openings 2l extending laterally therethrough so .that lubricant can be forced via lateral port 23* onto the inner contacting surface 2|* of the Asealing member 2|.

The metallic spacer ring member 20 can have considerable clearance 26 on its inside diameter relative to the' wash-pipe Iii so that grease can pass freely thereby. 'I'he sealing member 2| makes a working pressure fit in such manner that the inner surface of its end portion 25 ts snugly against the wash-pipe I5 so that upward pressureot the drilling tluid can further seal'the ring 2|. As so arranged, an

annular clearance space 2l is provided betweeny tallic ring member 20, extend through holes 29. vin the sealing member 2| and contact the under side of the adjacent metallic member in such a manner that the metallic rings always maintain a iixed spaced relationship to each other, so that the flexible or resilient sealing member 2| is never placed under longitudinal compression at any time. This deviates from the prior art devices.` in

which :the sealing members always have a compression force applied thereon which has a tendency to prematurely wear or tear the packing. My novel arrangement herein disclosed and claimed overcomes the disadvantages which are inherent in the prior art device and furthermore provides an eiective sealing assembly which can be easily and quickly tightened up as a unit by adjustment of the glands I8 and I9. The contact Ibetween the adjacent axially aligned ring vmembers which is secured by coaction of the pins 28` positively prevents the exention of longitudinal compressive force on the resilient sealing members 2l, thus they are free to ex laterally under inuence of the pressure exerted lon the lubricant, by the fluid Ibeing pumped. 1 While I have described quite specifically the embodiment of the invention illustrated, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departure from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: l

1. In a swivel, the combination of a stationary water tube; a revolving body; a flexible self-sealing ring mounted in said body; a spacer supporting said ring and preventing its compression, and lubricating means for providing a film of lubrication between the revolving ring and stationary Water tube.

2. In a swivel for rotary well.V drills, a conduit through which the drilling fluid passes; a swivel Y body rotatably surrounding said conduit; and sealing means interposed between said conduit and body, said means compri-sing a plurality of iiexible self-sealing ring members, spacers positioned between said ring members ooacting to prevent the compression of .the ring' members, and means for conveying a lubricant to the wearing surfaces of said ring members. y

3. In a swivel for rotary well drills, the combination of a stationary water tube through which the drilling fluid passes and a revolving swivel body surrounding a. portion of said tube; a plurality of resilient ring members in sealing relationship with said tube, said sealing relationship being increased-by the pressure of said drill- -ing iluid in the sW-ivel body; spacer members interposed between said ring members and engagv-ing each other to prevent any compression of the and surrounding a portion of the tube, a plurali-ty of flexible sealing rings disposed between said member and tube, a plurality of spacer rings between and nesting with the sealing rings and preventing axial compression of the sealing rings, each Yof said spacer rings having a transverse lubricant passage therethrough, said ilexible sealing rings being arranged vto make a tighter seal on admission of the drilling uid passing through said swivel; a lubricant passageway in the body of said swivel extending to the surface and cooperating internally with .the transverse passageways in said spacer members for substantially filling the remaining area between said tube and swivel with a water-repellant lubricant forced .through said passageways for lubricating the wearing surfaces of said sealing members, and means for holding said sealing and spacer members in nested relationship between said tube and said body.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a water tube; a rotary swivel having an annular body portion spaced from and surrounding said tube; loweryand upper glands assembled in longitudinally spaced relationship between said tube and said body; a plurality of rings, each having an annular tapered portion of less transverse width than the annular space between said tube and said body portion; an annular ilexible sealing member extendingacross the top and down both sides of the annular tapered portion of each of said rings; a lubricant passage formed in Vsaid body through which lubricant is adapted to be supplied .to said annular space, said sealing member being pierced by elements secured to said rings, certain of said elements of one of said rings contacting one of said glands, and other of said elements of other rings contacting adjacent rings, whereby the said resilient sealing members are entirely relieved of longitudinal pressure.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a water tube; a rotary swivel having an annular body portion spaced from and surrounding said tube; lower and upper glands assembled in longitudinally spaced relationship between said tube and said body; a plurality of metallic rings, each having an annular tapered portion of less transverse width than the annular space between said tube and said body portion; an annular ilexible sealing member extending across the top and down both sides ofthe annular tapered portion of each of said rings, said rings having passages extending transversely therethrough and said swivel4 body having a longitudinally extending lubricant passage Lwith lateral ports opening into said annular space, said sealing members being pierced by elements secured to said rings, certain of said elements on one of the rings contacting with one of said-glands, and other of said elements on other rings contacting with adjacent rings, whereby the resilient members are relieved of longitudinal pressure.

'7. In a device of the character described, the combination with spaced members having relative rotative movement, of sealing means disposed therebetween, said means including a plurality of exible sealing rings, a plurality of spacer rings between and supporting the sealing rings, said spacer rings being f interengaged and preventing compression of the sealing rings thereby in a direction longitudinally of the assembly, and means for lubricating said sealing rings.

8. In' a device of the character described, the combination 'with spaced members having relative rotative movement, of sealing means disposed therebetween, said means including a plurality of spacer rings, exible sealing rings between said spacersv having inner. and outer annular portions overlying said spacers, said sealing rings being apertured and said spacers having -portions passed therethrough, the spacer portions engaging adjarcent spacers to limit their relative iongitudinal movement and thereby prevent compression of the sealing rings therebetween, and means for 6 lubricating said sealing rings. v

' AUGUST R. MAIER. 

